Free Into The Void (Vampire Hunter Book 4) by S.C. Reynolds Page A

If it’s like the last one, I’ll have to get some odd items and
prep stuff, but it shouldn’t take too long. It will be much more enjoyable than
studying the boring subjects they teach in school.” Henry grinned.
    “Definitely,” I said. I knew I should be happy that Henry had jumped at
the opportunity to perform the shape shifter spell. So why was I filled with an
uneasy dread?

Chapter 14
    On Monday morning I was a bundle of nerves. Even though I had told Lucas
I would rather be helping him than going to school, thinking about my fucked up
situation 24/7 was mentally exhausting. It would be nice to get back to
something normal, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t nervous as hell about it.
    Henry was picking me up. I was glad; I wouldn’t have to walk in by myself
with everyone staring at me. Although, considering the entire senior class (and
then some) had been at Bunny’s party on Saturday, maybe they had gotten the
stares and whispers out of their system.
    I was having an impossible time picking out what to wear. I must have
tried on ten different outfits before deciding on a black wrap-around skirt and
a blue t-shirt.
    When I walked into the kitchen, Henry was sitting at the table, eating a
huge waffle. “I didn’t realize you were here!” I exclaimed. “You should have
called me. I must have lost track of time.”
    Henry glanced up. “No worries. I knocked when you didn’t come out right
away and your mom invited me in for breakfast.”
    Mom, who was standing at the sink loading dishes into the dishwasher,
turned around. “Kayla wouldn’t eat breakfast and you don’t eat so there were
tons of leftovers,” she said. “It’s nice to see someone enjoying my breakfast.”
    “This is the life, Audrey,” Henry said to my mom. “My mom has never been
that great of a cook, and she doesn’t really have time, anyway. Breakfast is
usually Pop Tarts or cereal for me.”
    “You know you’re welcome to eat breakfast or dinner with us anytime,” my
mom offered.
      “Thanks.” Henry stood up from the
table. “I guess we’d better get going. You ready?”
    I shrugged, trying not to let on how nervous I was feeling. But I knew
Henry would see right through it. He always did.
    When we got into the car, Henry turned to me. “Come on, Aurora, I know
first day jitters are normal – I’ve got ‘ em , too, but
you look like you’re going to a funeral, not school. It can’t be that bad,
right?”
    “It just feels strange,” I said honestly. “I’m not the same person I used
to be. I – I can’t explain it.”
    “You don’t have to. Not to me; not to anyone.”
    I smiled gratefully at Henry. He knew what to say to make me feel better.
    When we pulled up to the school, there were already a ton of kids milling
around outside, laughing, chatting.
    Homeroom assignments were always posted in the hall by the principal’s
office, so we headed there first. Henry was high fiving guys and greeting
everyone we passed.
    Geez. I could tell he was popular
at Bunny’s party, but does he know the entire school?
    And then it hit me. I’m not the
same person and neither is Henry.
    I pushed away the wave of sadness I felt at the realization.
    “Looks like you’ve got Mr. Ramsey for homeroom,” Henry said, scanning the
list. “Ugh! I’ve got Ms. Draper.” He scrunched his face into a sour expression.
“ There will be no talking, children. You
will spend your homeroom time reading and present a book report each month ,”
Henry said in a perfect impersonation of Ms. Draper.
    I laughed. “How’d you get so lucky to have the only homeroom teacher who
actually gives you assignments?”
    “Ah, it’s cool,” Henry said. “I need to beef up my reading list, anyway.
You know, so I can look smart for the college applications.”
    I didn’t answer. My parents had been super understanding since I got back,
but they were starting to give me university brochures and mention how I should
“really start thinking about